[78] M. Ferd. Lot, to whom I am indebted for the verification of this passage, writes: 'Le
répresente un léger blanc occasionné par un défaut du parchemin, en sorte qu'on pourrait lire en deux mots Lan donez (d'où l'ont donez); on peut lire Lan-donez aussi bien que Laudonez.'
[79] Cf. Introduction to Yvain, large edition, where it is referred to as G.
[80] Cf. chap. x. p. [182], where the passage referred to is given in full.
[81] To say, as Professor Foerster does, that the spring=grave is to misrepresent the incidents; the castle in which the lady dwells is some distance from the spring, as we see in Yvain's chase of his flying foe.
[82] I do not know that it is has any real bearing on the question, but the passage from Flamenca quoted by Wolff (Lais), p. 51, is curious: 'L'uns viola lais del cabrefoil, E' l'autre cel de Tintagoil; l'uns cantet cels des fis amanz, E l'autre cel que fes Ivans.'
[83] P. cxli. et seq.
[84] It should be noted that Professor Foerster offers no arguments; he only makes assertions. There may, or there may not, have been a Grail romance which knew nothing of Perceval, certainly we have no traces of such, but how can we tell what would be the character of such a story? There are any amount of theories on the subject. Wechssler has his, Hagen his, diametrically opposed to each other. Theories unsupported by proof are useless as argument. Professor Foerster is very fond of telling us this; but the moment we get on to the question of Chrétien de Troyes and his sources, adieu proof. We are wrapped in the mists of subjectivity.
[85] The italics are mine.